Interpretive Summary: Campylobacter is the one of the most commonly reported bacterial causes of human food borne infections in the United States. Recent evidence has demonstrated that Campylobacter is present in chicken and turkey semen and may contribute to the vertical transmission between the breeder hen and offspring. As Campylobacter is considered sensitive to oxygen and cold temperature, the objective of this study was to determine if aeration and various storage temperatures could reduce or eliminate Campylobacter in poultry semen. Aeration of semen samples did not significantly reduce the amount of Campylobacter when compared to the control samples. However, Campylobacter concentrations were significantly reduced when stored at 42C for 24 h compared to initial Campylobacter concentrations.

Technical Abstract:
Campylobacter is the one of the most commonly reported bacterial causes of human food borne infections in the United States. Recent evidence has demonstrated that Campylobacter is present in chicken and turkey semen and may contribute to the vertical transmission between the breeder hen and offspring. As Campylobacter is considered sensitive to oxygen and cold temperature, the objective of this study was to determine if aeration and various storage temperatures could reduce or eliminate Campylobacter in poultry semen. Semen from roosters and toms was collected by abdominal massage and semen samples from within male species were pooled immediately after collection. The semen samples were diluted with a commercial poultry semen extender and inoculated with 10**6 to 10**7 cfu of C. jejuni or C. coli. Pooled ejaculates were then aliquoted into three aeration treatments: no aeration (Control), bubbling for 20 minutes with oxygen (Oxygen), or bubbling for 20 minutes with atmospheric air (Air). Immediately after aeration, pooled semen samples were further aliquoted to three test storage temperatures: 4C, 23C, and 42C. At 0, 2, 6, and 24 h of storage, a 0.1 ml sample was taken from each aliquot and serially diluted with Campylobacter-enrichment broth. The serial dilutions were plated on Campylobacter-Line agar and incubated at 42C for 48 h in a microaerophilic environment for enumeration of Campylobacter. Aeration of the pooled semen samples did not significantly reduce the amount of Campylobacter when compared to the control samples. However, Campylobacter concentrations were significantly reduced when stored at 42C for 24 h compared to initial Campylobacter concentrations.